Why So Tense?
by ImSuperSiriusGuys
Summary: What if Harry and Draco weren't actually enemies in school? What if they instead had begun dating after an incident in third summer that placed them in each other's confidence? What if their fighting was all a ruse, and they had fallen for each other but couldn't admit it to anyone - not even their closest friends? This is a story that may or may not be just about that.. HP/DM
1. Chapter 1

**Why So Tense?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. **

**Authors' Note: New story! **

* * *

**-Chapter 1-**

* * *

"Why so tense, Potter?" Draco Malfoy's voice carried sharply over the din of laughter from behind Harry.

Draco sat perched casually in a tree outside of the castle, a huge smile on his face. "Father and I have a bet you see. I don't think you'll last ten minutes in this tournament." He hopped down and strolled towards a visibly furious Harry Potter. "He disagrees. He says you won't last five." The Slytherin started laughing at his own joke, his posse of four joining in.

"I don't give a damn what your father thinks, Malfoy!" Harry shoved the blond Slytherin angrily. "He's vile and cruel and you're _pathetic_."

Draco felt like he had been punched and then he saw red.

* * *

"You shouldn't go off places with that crazy new professor, you know?"

Harry spun around to find himself face-to-face with Draco. "What are you doing here?" he asked, taking a step back when the blond continued to move closer.

"I came to see if you were okay," Draco said sincerely, frowning in bemusement at him and not stopping in his approach. "You seemed out of sorts earlier."

"Out of sorts? Really? What made you think that? Was it perhaps, watching everyone laugh at me, or maybe the argument with my best friend? Or maybe it's because I'm not going to last _five minutes_ in the tri-wizard tournament."

Draco placed a hand on the other wizard's shoulder. "You're not upset about those things I said, are you? You know, we both agreed to argue to keep up appearances-"

"-And, and I _hate_ those vile pins, and Diggory said-" Harry rambled angrily, ignoring Draco's words.

"-So you've been talking to Diggory have you?" Draco snapped, grey eyes flashing momentarily and his grip on the other's shoulder tightening.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked defensively, ignoring the tense grip.

"I didn't like the way he was looking at you." Draco snarled.

"When?" Harry asked, his face a mask of confusion. He had barely talked to the seventh-year Hufflepuff.

"When you two were laughing at me _together_." Draco glared at the terrible memory. He would have the new DADA professor fired if it was the last thing he did. Turning him into-

"-What? When you were a ferret?" Harry asked incredulously, not able to remember any other time he and the seventh-year Hufflepuff had interacted in front of Draco. _He saw me laughing at him_, he bit his lip, a twinge of guilt tightening his chest.

Draco took a step closer, trapping the shorter wizard against the wall in the abandoned fifth floor. "You thought that was funny, did you?" he asked, running the back of his hand along Harry's cheek.

The Gryffindor cleared his throat. "Diggory likes Cho," he said, not responding to the volatile subject of Draco's transformation he had unthinkingly brought up.

Draco closed his eyes in an attempt to gather his thoughts. _Screw it_. His grey eyes flashed open and his hands ran up, cupping the shorter wizard's face. He leaned down and pressed his lips against Harry's.

"-I'll catch up with you guys later!" Cedric Diggory's voice ran through the corridor, startling the two boys apart.

Draco's look morphed into one of deep irritation as he pulled away and took a step back, placing space between them. Harry's cheeks were slightly flushed as he turned to face the approaching Hufflepuff who had just turned the corner.

"Hey, Potter," he called his greeting in an even tone. His eyes flicked between the two.

Draco's face was pinched in rage and Harry's cheeks were red. He paused, unsure if he should interrupt the obviously arguing wizards.

Draco's lip curled. "Catch you later, _Potter_," he drawled abruptly, hitching his bag over his shoulder before turning and heading down the corridor.

Cedric approached, nodding to the bespectacled wizard. "I just wanted to say thanks, you know, for the heads up earlier," he began in an unsure tone when he noticed Harry looking over his shoulder, watching the Slytherin stalk off.

"Oh, yeah. Sure, Cedric. No problem," he said in a distracted tone.

"Harry," Cedric started quietly, earning him a questioning glance from the younger wizard. "Are you all right? Was he bothering you?"

Harry's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion before he let out a laugh. "Malfoy? No, it's fine. He always bothers me," he said with another laugh before turning and making his way off quickly the same way the Slytherin had gone.

Harry rushed down the corridor, eagerly turning the corner.

Draco stood, back facing Harry and nodding at something Blaise Zabini was saying.

Harry stopped for just a moment in surprise before pushing forward, staring determinedly at the ground as he walked. _Just keep moving_, he coached himself silently.

"Well. Well. Look who it is," Blaise said, smirking at Harry as his gaze jerked up from the ground. He tapped the pin on his chest, grinning.

Draco looked over his shoulder at the green-eyed wizard, his expression unreadable. "Let's go Blaise," he said stiffly, stepping around the other Slytherin and down a nearby hallway.

Blaise's eyes widened in momentary surprise. He followed after the blond after a slight hesitation.

Harry watched the two Slytherins disappear, pausing in surprise.

"Harry?" a familiar voice cut into his train of thought.

Harry jumped, turning, a small smile lighting up his features when his eyes alighted on the source of the voice. "Hermione," he said.

She smiled. "What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, I was just, heading to the Room of Requirement," he said, darting a glance to where Draco had disappeared before looking back to her and nodding.

"Oh! For books, on the subject you're looking for. Yes, I do that when I don't find what I'm looking for in the library, too. Let's go, then," she said. "I'm glad you're actually trying to work out the task, Harry," she continued in a proud tone of voice as they walked back the way the wizard had just come.

Harry nodded distractedly.

* * *

"That Harry Potter is going to get what he deserves soon enough."

Draco nodded mechanically, his insides swirling with anger. "We should get back to the common room. I've misplaced Goyle and Crabbe somehow. Worthless buffoons," Draco snarled half-heartedly. He had given his two shadows the slip, and it had actually proven quite hard. He tried to tamp down his disappointment at only getting a few minutes away with his boyfriend of a few months. _I wouldn't have bothered fighting with him if I had known Diggory would show up. _He sneered at the thought of the irritating Hufflepuff. _He'd better watch his step. I've seen the way he talks to Harry-_

"-Draco?"

The blond was startled from his thoughts. "I'm sorry, what?" Draco asked in an affronted voice.

"I said, it almost seemed like you had gone soft on Dumbledore's golden boy back there," Blaise said, his gaze speculative on the distracted wizard.

Draco held back a worried look. He needed to be more careful around the astute Slytherin. "Don't be thick, Blaise. I just get tired of spending my time on such a pathetic excuse for a wizard is all," he said, giving his friend a level look until he backed off.

Blaise raised his hands in an appeasing manner.

Draco glanced around to make sure there was nobody lingering before whispering the password to the Slytherin common room. He walked in quickly, ignoring his friend's ramblings. _I shouldn't have let that go. Harry can handle my insults. He knows I don't actually mean them..._ He shook his head. _He was so offended today by the tree though. I didn't even really say anything bad. Not like before-_

"Draco." Gergory Goyle stood in front of the blond. "Where did you go? Crabbe and I looked everywhere for you."

Vincent Crabbe nodded his assent.

Draco glowered at the larger of the two thugs. "It's not my fault if your arse is too fat to keep up." He then made his way up the stairs, the two sets of clumping footsteps behind him soothing his frazzled mind.

* * *

Harry stood in front of the the Room of Requirement and walked back and forth, picturing a room with as much dragon information as possible. _How to slay a dragon. How to hide from a dragon. How to make friends with a dragon. What dragons refuse to eat_, he thought desperately. A door slowly formed in front of the wizard and his friend.

"Don't worry, Harry. We'll figure it out," Hermione assured her friend as they walked into the room.

Harry nodded silently and made his way reluctantly over to the tomes of books. _I shouldn't have snapped at him. We did agree on this. Why did I say that about his father? And I called him pathetic. _Harry let out a huff of frustration.

"Malfoy seems to have given up on you," Hermione said in a conversational tone as she pulled down a book labelled '101 Ways to stay out of a Hungry Dragon's Stomach.'

Harry looked over slowly. "How's that?" he asked, his pulse speeding up at the witch's suspiciously unassuming tone.

"It's just. Even today, he went pretty easy on you, don't you think?"

Harry blinked. "He said he thought I was going to die." He dead-panned.

"True. But, he didn't say anything about your," Hermione paused, not wanting to bring up his parents. "And then he almost seemed like he was stopping Zabini in the corridor." She studied her friend closely, looking for any indication that he would admit to having noticed the odd behavior. She had seen him watching the two Slytherins depart, and she was sure he had noticed.

_She saw that?_ "Hermione, I really need to focus on my first challenge. And I'd rather do that without analyzing everything Malfoy has or hasn't done so far today," he said shortly, feeling bad but not enough to tell his friend she was on the right track. _We just need to keep this private until I can figure out how to defeat Voldemort._ Harry let out an incredulous laugh.

"Harry?"

The wizard quickly schooled himself and glanced down at the book in his hands. "Nothing."

Harry sat down at a chair and pretended to rifle through the text as his mind wandered to what had lead up to his and Draco's meeting that summer.

* * *

**-Summer's Past-**

"You ungrateful ingrate. You'll pay for this when you come back!" Uncle Vernon yelled from the doorstep at Five Privet Drive, shaking his fist angrily as Harry ran at top speed down the street with his wand out.

The young wizard had lost his temper and accidentally turned all of his Aunt Petunia's bridge friends a deep shade of green. He had tried to convince his uncle it was an improvement but had failed unsurprisingly.

_I just need to get away from here for a while._ The knight bus appeared suddenly. Harry looked at his brandished wand. _Oh. Right_. He stepped happily if not warily onto the bus.

"Mr. Potter. So good to have you back! We thought you might be dead," the young wizard greeted him warmly as the hanging shrunken head nodded readily.

"Ah, no. Still alive, for now," he said uncomfortably.

"So you are!" cried the wizard in front of him.

Harry nodded. "Diagon Alley, please," he said, dropping in a few knuts before making his way back and choosing a chair with a seatbelt. _How did I miss these before_?

"Right! Let's go!"

Harry clipped the security device quickly and braced himself for the ride.

"Harry Potter, so great to see you again!" the barkeep at the Leaky Cauldron greeted him warmly as the young wizard entered the old pub.

Harry waved, holding back a grimace, before making his way to the bathroom. Once inside he threw his invisibility cloak over his head. _Don't want anyone else to see me._

He walked out of the small washroom, the door opening and closing without anyone seeing him as he hid under his father's old cloak.

He waited in the corner until a group of middle-aged witches made their way to the back and to the brick wall, the entryway to Diagon Alley.

"It's true. I heard that Harry Potter is living with Sirius Black. I was told by a _very_ reliable source that the boy sought him out and told him he was happy that he had offed his parents. Said he had always hated them."

Harry bit his tongue.

"Betilda, that is absolute rubbish and Rita Skeeter is _not_ a reliable source. He was just a baby and everyone knows Sirius Black was framed. I read in the Quibbler that he was best friends with the Potters," said a plump red-headed witch.

"Ah, yes. But, you're forgetting that he went crazy after being bitten by his werewolf lover," a tall, sandy-haired wizard added, who was not part of the original group.

The witches gasped.

Harry's eyes widened. _Remus_! Harry held back a laugh and fought the urge to reveal himself in order to talk to his ex-professor and his parent's other best friend.

"No, that can't be true," the witch called Betilda insisted, walking through first and followed by her group of listeners.

Harry waited quietly until it was just him and Remus. "After you, Harry," said the werewolf.

"Thanks, Remus," Harry said, walking quickly through. He felt the tightness in his stomach relax as he looked around the wizarding shop place.

"Father, I thought you had bought me a present!"

Harry swung around to see Draco Malfoy only inches away from him with a decidedly unhappy look on his face.

* * *

"Harry?"

Harry jumped, startled from his memories.

"Huh?"

"I said, are you ready to go? We can come back tomorrow and search some more." Hermione looked expectantly at the wizard.

Harry pushed himself out of his seat. "Oh, yeah. Sure Hermione."

* * *

**:-)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Why So Tense?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter.**

**Authors' Note: Hello new readers! We hope you are enjoying this new story! :-D We have a handful of chapters already written and will post once a week for the next month. **

* * *

**-Chapter 2-**

* * *

Draco hummed, scanning through another page in _Dragons: A Dragoness and Her Egg. _He had been searching book after book for something to help Harry. _How can they get away with putting them up against dragons? If anything were to happen to Harry, the ministry would throw a fit. And yet, here he is, about to face a fire-breathing monster without any help. It just doesn't make sense_. He let out a growl of frustration as he scanned another useless page.

"Draco?" Pansy Parkinson's sharp voice cut through the air.

Draco arched one eyebrow but did not look up, flipping another page.

_Females who do not protect their eggs. _Well, that wouldn't be useful at all. He turned the page.

"What are you reading?" Blaise asked, leaning over the back of the couch Draco was seated at in the Slytherin common room to get a look at the text.

Draco yanked away the book, stuffing it in his bag and narrowing his eyes. "It's called a book, Blaise," he said dryly.

"You seem tense, Draco," Pansy said anxiously, sitting on the couch next to the blond and inching closer discreetly.

"Of course I'm tense. Your deductive skills never cease to amaze me." The wizard leaned back and ran a hand through his platinum locks. _There's got to be a way I could help him. Maybe I could talk to my father for advice. _He frowned at the inadvisable thought.

Pansy shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She looked down at her pin. "These pins were a great idea," she said, trying to gain the blond's favor.

Blaise sat down at the opposing couch, glancing at Draco out of the corner of his vision to watch his response.

Draco held back a glare. _Stupid Harry. I thought he'd think those were rather funny. When did he become so sensitive_? He said nothing, but instead feigned a yawn.

Blaise leaned forward in his seat and laughed harshly. "They're pretty tame as far as your pranks go." His eyes narrowed when Draco only made a disgruntled noise in response. "Oddly enough he seems terribly bothered by them for some reason. So I guess you know him better than I do."

Draco scoffed. "That's not really hard though, is it? Knowing something better than you," he snarled, feeling his anger growing and earning himself a glare from Blaise.

Pansy frowned. "Is everything okay, Draco? You've seemed out of sorts this year," she said softly. She reached out a hand, placing it on his leg, when she received no response.

Draco stood up, Pansy's arm falling by her side.

"Wouldn't be Potter getting to you, would it, Draco?" Zabini asked coolly from where he sat, arching one eyebrow.

Draco scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous." He sneered, turning toward the boys' dormitory. _I need to get out of here and regroup. I'm giving myself away_.

"Really? Never think I've seen you pass up an opportunity to make him miserable before. But you seemed downright indifferent in the hall today." Draco thought he could almost sense a challenge in his friend's casually delivered words.

"What do you mean?" Pansy asked sharply, eyes darting between the two of them.

Draco gave a dry laugh, his posture relaxed as he refused to face the two.

"Has he been threatening you?" Pansy inquired, rage glittering in her eyes. "You know you should tell us if he is, Draco. We could help you-"

"-I don't need any help, and Potter couldn't threaten me if he tried," he said, his voice lacking the usual malice when making a statement about the Gryffindor. "I need some time alone. Come on Crabbe - Goyle."

The blond switched direction and headed out the Slytherin common room, his cronies at his heels.

* * *

"I hate him. I _really_ do."

Hermione and Harry sat at the Gryffindor table, watching Ron laugh with Seamus Finnegan.

"He's just jealous, Harry. He's always been jealous, it's hard being your best friend." Hermione glared at the red-headed boy despite her mollifying words.

"Yeah, well it's even harder being me," Harry said in a clipped tone, his eyes narrowing when Seamus whispered to Ron and the two wizards glanced over at him. _They're talking about me_.

"I never said it wasn't," Hermione said quietly. Her eyes shifted to the Slytherin table to see Draco sit down, Goyle and Crabbe on either side of him. "Draco has really started to cling to his bodyguards this year. I had thought he had given them up."

Harry turned his gaze from Ron towards the blond Slytherin, his eyebrows furrowing in worry. _He looks really upset about something_. Draco caught his gaze, his eyes softened for a moment before he sneered at him. Harry held back a grin. He couldn't help but appreciate his looks even when he was distorting them. _I should owl him so we can meet up tonight_. He glanced over at the blond's friends. _I could tell Hedwig to wait until he was alone so she wouldn't be recognized_-

"-Harry, hello there!"

Harry looked up from his food. "Oh, ah, hi Cedric." He glanced over at a visibly angered Draco, who was looking pointedly over his head. "What brings you here?"

Cedric smiled widely at him. "Just thought we could talk about strategy." He turned his smile on Hermione, who giggled in response before a look of horror crossed her face.

"I'll leave you two alone then," she said quickly, pushing herself up and walking off.

"Harry Potter this. Harry Potter that! I'm sick of hearing about bloody Harry Potter!" Ron's voice carried over to Harry.

"Sure, how about we walk and talk though," Harry suggested, already standing up and pushing his plate back angrily as he glowered in Ron's direction.

Draco stood up without thinking when he saw Harry and Cedric make their way towards the doors, leaving his plate unfinished.

"Where are you going?" Pansy asked as Crabbe and Goyle stood up too.

"Gonna go hex Potter probably. It's not good for business if Cedric and him make friends," Blaise pointed out.

"True, my badges won't sell nearly as well then," Draco said, his gaze following the wizards. He brushed his jacket smooth and nodded, before walking off after the two, eyes narrowed angrily and his hand reaching for his wand. Crabbe and Goyle darted after him, reaching for their own.

"Oi, Potter!" Draco called out, the door to the Great Hall shutting behind him and his friends, as he spotted the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff halfway down the hallway, talking rather too cheerfully for his liking.

Harry started, eyes widening slightly as he spun around to face the enraged Slytherin. Cedric turned more slowly, a look of surprise on his features.

Draco didn't notice as the Great Hall door opened again behind him, nor the way Cedric looked around him to see the newcomer.

"Making bets on who's going to die first?" Draco asked with a disproportionate amount of anger, pointing his wand at the Hufflepuff. Harry's eyes flew wide and he fumbled for his own.

"Dr-Malfoy, what are you _doing_?" Harry asked, wand at his side unsurely.

Draco sneered. "Aren't you two cute? Protecting your _boyfriend_, Potter?"

Cedric's mouth dropped open.

"Out here snogging, I'd bet," he continued viciously, grey eyes narrowing as he clutched his wand that was still trained on Cedric.

"What is your problem, Malfoy?" Cedric cut in bluntly. "You should just leave Harry and I alone. Walk away, and we'll both forget it," the Hufflepuff said in an even tone, reaching for his own wand casually.

Harry's jaw dropped slightly, his gaze jumping to the Hufflepuff. "Cedric," he gasped out in confusion as the other wizard brandished his wand. His eyebrows furrowing as he debated what to do.

"Oh, so you two are on a first name basis now? Where should I send my happy regards?" Draco now practically roared, taking a step forward. _How dare he call him Harry!_

"This is ridiculous, Malfoy," Cedric snapped.

"Stupefy!" Draco snapped, wrist flicking.

Harry raised his own wand. "Protego!" he shouted out the shield spell just in time.

The blue light of a disarming spell flew from Blaise's wand from behind Draco, startling the blond as he turned to look at the other Slytherin that he hadn't known was there.

The spell hit Harry who was focused on the blond and his wand flew out of his hand and landed a few feet away.

Cedric flicked his own wand, a yellow light bursting forth and hitting the distracted blond. Draco flew backwards a few steps, gaping in shock at being hexed.

Harry's eyes narrowed as he fumbled for his wand on the ground, anger building up inside him as he glared openly at the Hufflepuff.

"Stupefy!" Blaise shouted, stepping forward and hitting the unawares Gryffindor and knocking him to the ground.

* * *

"Harry? Harry are you okay?"

"Stop yelling at him, Ginny. He probably has a terrible headache after that shot Zabini hit him with."

Harry groaned, his eyes fluttering open only to shut once more under the harsh lights of the Hosptal wing.

"This all must be Malfoy's fault somehow," Ginny said darkly. "He's gotten all of Slytherin after him. I should go over and hex him _right_ now. It's like he's infatuated with Harry the way he's always following him about and-"

"-Shush, he's waking." Hermione leaned over, courteously blocking the unforgiving light from Harry's direct vision as his eyes attempted to open again. "Harry, how are you feeling?" she asked quietly.

"Like shit." Harry groaned.

Hermione gave a wry smile. "Well, that's to be expected."

"What happened, Harry? How did you manage to get hit by Zabini and knock him out as well?" Ginny asked, scooting closer to the bed.

Harry blinked and pushed himself into a sitting position, his head throbbing violently in protest. "I'm sorry?" he asked, his memories of what had happened jumbled in his mind. He could remember Draco trying to hex Cedric and his own shield charm. He also remembered Cedric sending a hex at Draco. His jaw clenched at the memory. And then he remembered scrambling for his own wand to hex the Hufflepuff but it went blank after that. "Zabini hexed me?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, and it appears that you hit him as well and with a _very_ strong hex at that. I heard Madam Pomfrey say that it's possible he will be out for a couple days." She gave him a reproving look before nodding over to a bed across the room with the curtains pulled tightly shut.

Harry stared blankly at the curtains as he searched his memories once more. He definitely hadn't hit Blaise with a hex. And Cedric wouldn't have used anything so harsh. His eyes widened imperceptibly. _Draco_. "What about Malfoy?" he asked quickly.

Hermione frowned at Harry. "What _about_ Malfoy?"

"He was part of the fight." Harry tried to push himself out of his bed. Hermione reached out and gently pushed the weakened wizard back onto the bed.

"No, he wasn't, or if he was, he got away before getting caught," she said, a concerned look marring her face as she studied her friend.

"Oh." _How will Draco explain hexing his friend on behalf of me? I can't believe he did that._ A smile tried to turn up the corners of his mouth. He shouldn't be pleased by that. He leaned forward hiding his face with his hands and groaned. _We are so screwed._

"Are you okay, Harry? Do you need some potions? I could get Madam Pomfrey for you, Harry, or maybe I could-"

"-We should go now, Ginny," Hermione said, cutting of the witch, as Harry's face remained buried firmly in his hands. "I'll come check on you if you don't get out by dinner," she said over her shoulder, walking away and partially dragging an unwilling Ginny with her.

Harry laid back down and pulled his pillow firmly over his head. He needed a break from school and it had just started up.

"I could get you some extra pillows, Harry. Here, have some chocolates, Harry. Or maybe a back rub?"

Harry smiled at the feigned high voice. He lifted the pillow off his face to see Draco pulling the curtains shut.

"Here take my last knut, Harry," he added, before saying in a scathing voice, "She's so _poor_."

Harry frowned. "That's not nice, Draco."

"So, I've found a way around arguing with you face to face," Draco said cheerfully, ignoring Harry's words as well as the fact that he had started their last fight.

"Really?" Harry asked, pushing himself up on his elbows as a small smile turned up the corners of his lips in a hopeful fashion.

The blond nodded, sitting down on the edge of the hospital bed. "While you were sleeping, I informed everyone that I find it beneath me to talk to you in person anymore. And instead, I've signed up for a series of interviews with Rita Skeeter to discuss-"

"-You what!" Harry cried, sitting upright too quickly, his pulse pounding dizzyling in his temples as he glared at the blond. "I absolutely loathe that witch, how-"

"-Now listen, Harry! This is a great idea. We both know she would be saying awful things about you anyway. But no one will take it seriously now, because I'm going to go on the record, and it's _me_ talking about _you_. Everyone in the school knows I practically always speak rubbish about you, and anyone whose opinion you truly care about won't take it seriously. Especially the Weasel-Weaslebee-"

Harry glared.

"-Weasleys," Draco managed to choke out, smiling encouragingly. "So, this is actually preferable." He nodded expectantly.

Harry huffed, glancing down at his lap as he contemplated it. "I would like not to have to argue so much, or to be in the position with wands pulled on opposite sides," he said finally, thinking about how upsetting the incident earlier had been. _I was going to hex Cedric._ He shook his head. "I suppose that's... A good idea," he said reluctantly.

"I thought you'd agree," he said lightly before adding in a more tense mood, "I couldn't think of an alternative short of killing Blaise."

"It _was_ you. How are you going to keep him quiet?" Harry asked.

Draco scooted up towards the headboard, lying down on the small bed as Harry looked down at him. "It's already been handled."

Harry continued to look down at him, waiting for him to continue.

Draco let out a laugh, rolling his eyes. "Memory charm, Harry," he said as if the wizard should have know without asking.

Harry's eyes widened. "Draco!" he hissed quietly. "Those are very difficult to do correctly. What if you messed it up?"

Draco waved his hand in a dismissive manner, his eyes closing. "You've been spending too much time with Granger." He yawned and scooted closer to Harry's side so that they were touching. "You need some good Slytherin friends."

Harry leaned back, despite his misgivings. He knew someone could show up at any point. "Like _yours_? I'd rather not need to hex my friends just to keep them quiet."

Draco scoffed. "You only feel that way because your friends are too daft to realize anything to begin with. And they're all so bloody trustworthy. It's disgusting. 'Where have you been, Harry? Oh, doing extra credit for potions? Oh, Harry, that's such a great idea.' Right." Draco let out a laugh.

Harry smacked the wizard half-heartedly on his chest, which the Slytherin quickly grabbed and held onto, interlacing their fingers. "I _could_ have been doing potions extra-credit. Merlin knows I need it."

Draco laughed softly, and Harry joined in with him. They laid quietly for a moment before Draco groaned and pushed himself up. "I should go. I might fall asleep if not."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, that would be harder to explain away as potions homework," he joked.

Draco's mouth curled up on one side before he leaned back down and captured Harry's lips with his own. He felt his pulse quicken when the wizard's lips parted, and he eagerly deepened the kiss. Draco's hand moved up into Harry's black mussed locks and his brain started to shut down when he heard footsteps just outside the curtains. They pulled away and waited for the sound of a door closing.

"I _really_ should go. I need to get fixed up," Draco said quietly, pushing himself off the bed.

"Why's that?" Harry asked curiously as Draco smoothed his silky blond hair down and then adjusted his tie.

The Malfoy heir flashed him an impish grin. "Interview in an hour," he said, quickly pushing the curtains open and glancing around.

"Draco-"

"-Gotta go!" he said quickly, darting through the curtains and making his way out of the hospital before Harry could add any stipulations. He needed to make this good.

Harry watched as Draco walked purposefully out of the hospital ward, the door shutting silently behind him. _This will have to be better. I'm sure of it,_ he thought, trying to convince himself.

"Ah, you're alone now," Madam Pomfrey said a little too casually as she walked into Harry's quarters.

Harry cleared his throat, shifting under the sheets nervously. "Ma'am?"

"The Malfoy boy is much nicer than he is given credit for," she said as she walked over to Harry's beside with a tray of potions.

Harry's eyes widened. "Uh, Madam Pom-"

"-Hush up now and take your potions," she instructed, holding up a brown sludge-like potion that smelled of rotten eggs. Harry cringed before taking the potion obediently.

The healer set down the final potion back on her tray. "There now. Get some rest and you can be out of here by tea," she said, reaching for the curtains.

"Wait. Madam Pomfrey," he stopped not sure what to say to the school's healer.

"Your secret's safe with me, Mr. Potter," she said, winking before turning and leaving a gobsmacked Harry alone.

Harry leaned back once more, his eyes closing as the sleeping potion he had been given started to kick in.

* * *

**Summer's Past**

"A present? Really Draco, is that all you think about?" Lucius Malfoy asked in a distracted tone, his attention caught on something further down the street.

Draco took an indignant step away and bumped into a surprised Harry. Harry quickly took a step back only to run into the group of middle-aged witches he had followed in. Draco gave the seemingly empty space where Harry stood a speculative look.

"Come Draco. We should go-" Lucius said in an unusually quick way. He reached out a hand to grab his son's arm only to find him gone. He looked around to see Draco reaching out his hands in front of him in an odd way, like he was blind.

Lucius shot a barely veiled worried look down the street once more before taking a few quick steps towards the boy.

"Gotcha," Draco said victoriously, having grabbed hold of the Gryffindor's wrist while still under his invisibility robe.

"I said, _let's go_," Lucius said urgently, grabbing Draco's other hand and apparating his son, and Harry Potter, to Malfoy Manor.

* * *

**:-)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Why So Tense?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter.**

**Authors' Note: New chapter! Please review if you're enjoying it so far! :-)**

* * *

**-Chapter 3-**

* * *

"This is the hugest load I've ever read!" Hermione yelled on Harry's behalf, throwing down that morning's Daily Prophet on the table by her breakfast.

"He's probably happy to have the extra publicity," Ron said to Seamus a little too loudly from his sitting place, four seats down from Harry and Hermione.

Harry scooted his food around listlessly. _Bastard_.

"Harry. Harry, are you listening to me? Have you read this?"

"Hm?" Harry looked up slowly. His eyes darted down to the paper Hermione was tapping angrily. "Oh, that? No. It's just a load of rubbish," he said, parroting Draco's words from the other night. He had decided if he didn't actually read the articles it would almost be like he and Draco weren't even pretend fighting. That they were a proper couple. He glanced over to the blond Slytherin at that thought, who was holding said paper and laughing loudly with his friends as they read it together.

_Well, maybe not._

Harry speared an unsuspecting carrot with his fork grumpily. He chewed aggressively, silently musing that perhaps the killing-Blaise plan hadn't been such a bad one, after all.

"I suppose that's true," Hermione said after a moment's hesitation, tucking the paper away in her bag as she thought about it.

"Try not to think about it Harry," she suggested helpfully.

Seamus laughed uproariously from down the table. "Does he _really_?" he asked Ron, grinning broadly and shooting an obvious look at Harry.

Harry shot him the meanest glare he could manage and darted out a hand toward Hermione's bag.

Hermione yanked it away, holding it behind her back.

"Let me see it. I've changed my mind," he demanded.

"No, Harry. You were right. You were being very mature about it all. It's just a load of rubbish, remember?" she insisted.

"I _want_ to see it, Hermione," he growled back. A nearby first year scooted to the edge of the bench discreetly, looking as if she wanted to make a run for it.

"Watch out, he might go berserk!" one of the Parvarti twins seated on the other side of Hermione whispered not so discreetly, eyes wide.

"He can't help it, being mad," the other leaned over her sister and added quietly.

"Excuse me?" Harry snarled, standing up. "I am _not_ mad! Somebody give me the bloody paper!"

A few second years who had been trailing over to the table abruptly changed direction, heading back out of the Great Hall.

Harry contained a roar of fury and stomped over to where Ron and Seamus sat, snatching up the paper set in front of Ron and sending them matching looks of hatred.

Ron shot him a look of brief sadness, that almost immediately morphed into anger. He sneered up at the black-haired wizard, who was scanning the Prophet page, reading over the article.

* * *

Draco looked on in a mixture of curiosity and worry from the other side of the Hall.

As Harry read the paper, the dishes at the Gryffindor table began to rattle ominously. Hermione stood up, grabbing him by the wrist and whispering something to him insistently.

Draco felt a pang of guilt which he quickly shuffled aside.

He and Harry had agreed to this. It was for the best, after all. This way, he didn't have to insult him upfront so much. He looked down at his plate, the guilt returning full force as he thought of what had been written. _Why are you reading the damn article, Harry_? He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the emotion. It wasn't _his_ fault that Harry had read the paper.

No, not at all.

_Damn Rita Skeeter for twisting my words. Like they even needed warped to begin with. That witch is a menace_, he thought miserably still, as he watched Harry sink reluctantly back into his seat, a look of numbness crossing his face.

"Potter doesn't seem as riled up as usual, how disappointing," Pansy said sympathetically.

Draco nodded, frowning. He disagreed though. He thought that Harry looked more upset than he could remember. The quiet was worse.

"Seems like you're losing your touch, Draco," Marcus Flint drawled from a little ways down the table. "I was expecting at least some sort of explosion." He and his friends sniggered meanly.

"That could be arranged," Pansy said helpfully, looking over to her gang of friends who nodded agreeably. "A little bit of goading, here and there, and I'm sure-"

"-No," Draco snapped more sharply than he should have. He wouldn't allow anyone to upset him further. _It's like he thinks it's true. _

Pansy paused, a surprised expression lighting her features.

"I mean," Draco said hastily. He cursed his traitorous mouth. He quickly added, "Give him some time. He's the type that if you leave him stewing he'll blow up even worse on his own."

A slow smile crossed Pansy's face. "You're _wicked_, Draco. I love it." She peered over her shoulder and watched the Gryffindor stare blankly at his plate.

_I need to talk to him. There's no way I'm going to insult him anymore today, though. Real or not. That won't help at all. But, I can't just go over and actually check on him. Or maybe I can..._

Draco stood up abruptly. "I should go pop over and give him my condolences," he said in an unaffected tone.

Pansy's brows furrowed. "But I thought you said we should leave it."

"No, I said _you_ should leave it," he said to the bemused witch before turning abruptly.

* * *

_He doesn't really think I'm mad. It's all just a ruse. I mean... He wouldn't like me if he did. If I was. _Harry worried the inside of his cheek with his teeth._ I do lose it a lot though, and I have been feeling a bit unhinged lately especially with-_

"-Feeling all right there, Potter?"

Harry raised his head slowly to find himself looking into surprisingly warm eyes.

Draco smiled genuinely. "I just wanted to let you know that I didn't say those things. That reporter skewed my words," he said, nodding his head in agreement with his own statement. "And if you need someone to talk to, you can _always_ come to me. I know we've had our differences-"

"-Just leave him alone, Malfoy! He doesn't care what you think about him one bit!" Hermione yelled, clearly thinking the Slytherin was feigning his sympathy.

Draco sneered at her. "Why don't you go hang off of your stupid red-headed boyfriend?" Draco paused and smiled vindictively. "Oh, that's right. He _dumped_ you when he abandoned Potter, didn't he?"

"Shut up, Malfoy! Just go away!" Harry roared, jumping up, anger rising in his chest once more. He looked down at the paper, the underlined words mocking him, and resisted the urge to look back at Ron. Being upset over his ex-best friend - who regularly made fun of him - was ridiculous.

That didn't change the fact that Harry was not pleased at _all_ to be talking to the blond Slytherin at that moment.

Draco's eyes widened with surprise. He reached into his robe pockets, plucking out a folded piece of parchment. "I drew you a picture," he said almost kindly.

Hermione blinked from where she sat. Her eyes narrowed when she remembered third year, and she scowled.

Harry's expression was unreadable as he accepted the paper, but - to Hermione's confusion - noticeably softer.

"Thanks," he said with a forced edge of sarcasm.

Draco smirked and then turned around, walking off.

"I think he gets weirder every year," Hermione remarked as Harry slowly sat back down, unfolding the parchment.

As Harry looked down, a note appeared in Draco's distinct calligraphy.

_Harry,_

_Let's meet tonight at the Room of Requirement. 8PM. See you there._

_Draco_

A small smile turned up his lips as he touched the corner of the heavily enchanted parchment.

Hermione leaned over. The note, however, was invisible to her eyes. Instead, a wonderful illustration of Harry in a St. Mungo's Ward, clutching his forehead was distinctly visible. The words floated up from his mouth, 'My scar, it's hurting again!'

She looked between the drawing and Harry's soft smile with no small degree of concern.

"Are you... Feeling all right, Harry?" she hedged nervously.

"Yeah," he said, smiling widely at the picture once more. He folded it up with special care and placed it in his robe pockets. "Yeah," he reiterated.

He took a large bite of mashed potatoes, chewing thoughtfully for a few moments.

Hermione pinched her eyebrows together in concern. After a few minutes of impatient lingering, Harry leapt to his feet.

"You're a great friend Hermione," he said warmly. He proceeded then to walk off, a certain air of energy in his step.

"Harry, where are you going?" Hermione called after her friend.

"Potions homework!" Harry called over his shoulder, speeding up as he made his way to the door.

* * *

"Draco, there you are."

Draco froze mid-stride, silently cursing his friend. He spun around. "Ah, Blaise. Good to see you're feeling better," he said.

The Slytherin's eyes narrowed. "Yes, quite the hex I was hit with. You said it was Cedric Diggory, did you?" he asked as he continued up the stairway to join Draco.

"Yes, who would have thought the Hufflepuff had it in him?" Draco queried.

Blaise glared as their staircase shook and then began to shift. "Yeah, who would have thought. Funny thing about that though," he said, his voice growing more cold as he spoke, "I don't remember any of it." He looked to Draco, lifting his eyebrows questioningly.

Draco shrugged his shoulders in an unaffected manner. "That's perfectly normal with a hex of that magnitude. You were out over a day," he paused, turning towards his friend, matching the cold look he was being given. "You should be happy that's all you lost," he said, his voice almost taking on a threatening edge.

Blaise took a step back. "Yes, I guess I should," he conceded, surprise clearly written on his face at his friend's almost confrontational statement. _Odd_.

Draco nodded and stepped off the stairway before turning to his friend. "I'll see you in the dorm later," he said casually, all coolness gone from his words, before walking off.

Blaise watched in bemusement as the Slytherin made his way towards the Astronomy Tower.

* * *

"Are you going to ask Draco to the Yule Ball?"

Pansy turned towards her friend, Daphne Greengrass. "No," she said, giving her friend an arched look. "He's going to ask me."

Crabbe and Goyle let out matching laughs.

"Something funny?" Pansy snarled, glaring at Draco's minions.

Goyle shrugged his shoulders.

Crabbe returned her sneer. "Draco isn't interested in you, Pansy. When are you going to stop mooning over him all the time?" he asked. Goyle started laughing.

"Me? You're one to talk about mooning, Vincent-Gregory. Shouldn't you two be off following Draco right now like the proper little shadows you are?" she retorted in a scathing tone.

"Vincent is kind of right, Pansy. Draco pays Harry Potter more attention than he does you," Daphne said, a vicious smile playing on her lips as she took a bite.

Pansy turned towards her friend. "Have you gained weight recently, Daphne? I only ask because your skirt looked a little snug this morning," she said coolly.

* * *

Harry stood inside the Room of Requirement. The colors of the room were grey and white, like Draco's room at his house.

The room had a couch and a few bookshelves with dragon books for Harry to peruse while he waited for Draco to show up. He cast a time charm. _7:50. He isn't late yet_, he reminded his anxious mind. He walked over to a chair and plopped down with a promising looking text. _Your Dragon and You_.

He flipped through the pages, his eyes glancing up to the wall where the door would appear when Draco arrived. He glared at the blank wall. _I wonder if he was stopped. Maybe he won't make it._

Harry flipped a page and found himself looking down at a vicious looking dragon with giant spikes covering its head and a tail that ended in what looked like a mace. He shivered and read the illustration below it. Hungarian Horn-Tail. It appeared to look up at him from the page before snapping at the wizard. Harry flinched back before turning the page quickly. _Hopefully I don't get one of those_.

His eyes scanned the page when he heard the door forming. He put down the book and jumped up, excited to see the Slytherin. His face dropped as the door opened.

"Harry, there you are! I had to find you!" she paused, looking around the room in confusion. Harry always transformed the room into a Gryffindor common room look alike when Hermione would join him. She walked in further and looked down at the book Harry had set down. "Oh, I should have known. Harry, why didn't you tell me you were doing more tournament preparation tonight?"

Harry rubbed the side of his neck and looked around the room. _How did I mess up on the charm? She shouldn't have been able to get in._

"Harry?"

"Oh, yeah... I guess I just thought you might need a night off," he said lamely.

Hermione smiled at her friend. "Harry, I am going to help you _every_ night until we get this figured out."

Harry returned her smile with a weaker version. _Shit_. "Thanks Hermione. But, that's not necessary. Really," he tried.

"Nonsense," Hermione said, waving her hand dismissively as she began to search through the books on the shelves.

Harry held back a groan, dropping into his chair and resigning himself to a night of studying.

* * *

Draco stood outside the Room of Requirement, picturing the space with just Harry in it, but the door did not form. _Maybe he's not here_.

He had taken a few detours to make sure Blaise wasn't following him before showing up. He pictured Harry in the room again, hoping for a different result. Instead, Draco watched as Harry's handwriting slowly appeared as if it was just then being scrawled into the stonework. The blond Slytherin frowned and leaned forward to read the writing. _Hermione showed up. I can't get rid of her. Sorry. Let's try for tomorrow during free time?_

Draco cursed as he watched the words fade in a regretful manner. He turned and stalked away, his mind wandering to when he could see Harry whenever he wanted.

* * *

~_Summer's Past_~

"Father," Draco said as soon as they were standing in the lobby of Malfoy Manor. He dropped his hand from Harry's arm not wanting to look conspicuous.

"Not now, Draco. To your room. I have business to attend to."

Draco watched as his father walked away in a hurried fashion. He turned slowly to stare at where he assumed the Gryffindor stood.

"Follow me, Potter," he said before turning on his heel and making his way up the wide staircase that lead to his room.

* * *

**Hello. **

**:-)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Why So Tense?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter.**

**Authors' Note: Hello there. We don't have anything important to say, but we couldn't just leave this blank... So... Yeah... Hmmm... Bought some chocolate today, but it melted-at _room temperature_. Weird, huh? :-/**

* * *

**-Chapter 4-**

* * *

Harry woke with a start, drool dried to his chin. He rubbed at his tired eyes and looked around the empty room of requirement.

A note was placed just to his left. He pinched the bridge of his nose as his head throbbed, and let out a low groan. He had stayed up with Hermione late into the night, pouring over book after book about dragons.

They'd established one thing that may be helpful: Dragons relied heavily on eyesight to hunt.

If he could learn how to cast a powerful enough conjunctivitis curse, then maybe..

He glanced over at the note.

_Harry, you fell asleep, and you need your rest. I've written down some books and pages for you to review that may be of help. We'll continue tonight. Don't worry, we'll find something. I've set an alarm spell that should wake you in time for that Potions homework you need to do._

Below that were several noted books and page numbers. Not too far was a stack of books set out on a table.

Harry glared at the books and sighed at the note. He crossed his arms on the table in front of him and laid his head back down, his eyes drifting closed.

A sharp, squealing alarm went off just as he felt himself drifting off, images of a certain blond just beginning to form behind his eyelids.

He groaned angrily, fumbling for his wand and canceling the spell with a grumpy swish of his wand.

He struggled to his feet. "Tempus," he murmured.

The time flashed in front of him.

It was eight in the _bloody _morning.

Reluctantly, he headed out the door of the Room of Requirement, grumbling curses mixed with Hermione's name as he made his way to his warm bed.

Two weeks and he hadn't been able to spend more than five minutes alone in Draco's company, he mused miserably as he stomped down the empty hall.

Hermione had been following him around, drilling information on dragons into his skull, and Draco had been having an equally difficult time shaking off Crabbe and Goyle on the off moments Harry was alone.

Hopefully he would be able to get away to meet up with him after lunch.

* * *

It was the day before the first challenge of the tournament. Draco hadn't slept. He had stayed up all night pouring over books. _Blasted dragons_, he thought heatedly, shoving a useless text away from his side angrily on the couch he had been sitting at for far too long.

He rubbed at the purple shadows under his eyes with a sigh, and glanced at the clock.

Saturday. The tournament was Sunday.

The tournament.

He hummed to himself, letting his tired eyes drift closed.

It was only twenty-three and a half hours until the first task.

He'd probably be more help to Harry, if he could get some shut-eye first.

* * *

_~Summer's Past~_

Draco reached the top of the stairs and looked around to make sure nobody was nearby. He assumed his mother must be out on the grounds as she usually tended to her flowers when he and his father went to Diagon Alley. He could hear the house elves downstairs working happily if not somewhat noisily as they cleaned the many common rooms. _They must be finished with the private quarters if they are downstairs now,_ he noted to himself before walking to his room and leaving the door open. He turned around and watched the door shut seemingly of its own accord. He waited.

"Well. Show yourself, then," he said in what he hoped was a casual tone. He had been so sure it was the Gryffindor, but now that he had closed himself in with the still unseen person he had grown a little unsure.

"Malfoy," Harry spat, his cloak falling from his shoulders.

Draco felt himself relax.

"Why did you bring me here?" the dark-haired wizard asked, clearly flustered as he looked around the large room. "Is this your _room_?" he asked, his voice rising.

"Yes, and please be more quiet, or someone might hear," Draco replied quickly.

Harry nodded, before speaking again, his voice quieter but not any nicer. "Why did you bring me here?"

Draco sighed and walked over to his bed, plopping down on it rather gracelessly. "It was an _accident_." He laid on his back, rubbing his temples as he tried to figure out a way to get Harry back.

"Well, take me back," Harry insisted, surprised at seeing the usually reserved Slytherin lying on his back in such a casual manner.

Draco sighed. "I can't, not without telling my parents. We will have to wait."

"Well, you can just take me back the way you brought me here. Apparition," he said in a determined voice.

Draco let out a laugh as he stared up at the ceiling. "I don't think so. We were all terribly fortunate that we weren't splinched horrendously just now. And even if I _personally_ knew how to apparate, you can't apparate out of Malfoy Manor without the approval of the head of family." He laughed again at the thought of telling his father what he had unwittingly done. "No, we will have to wait until the school year starts. Then you can just use the floo system once it's been opened after we go through it."

Harry gasped, looking around the room with the distinct feeling it had just dropped a few degrees in temperature._ I have to spend the next two months with Draco Malfoy_?

* * *

"Draco, Draco wake up. It's dinner time." Pansy Parkinson shook the blond gently as he laid crookedly on the couch, a book open on his chest.

"That's where he's been? He didn't come up last night to bed." Blaise walked closer to his still sleeping friend. He picked up one of the books. "_Dragons_? Why is he so hung up on dragons?"

Draco blinked sleepily, struggling to his feet very sharply and pulling away from Pansy. The book on his chest fumbled to the ground.

He looked to Blaise, who was holding one of his other books.

"That's mine," the blond snapped, stretching out a hand expectantly.

Blaise glanced over the paragraph he'd been reading, and arched one eyebrow at the exhausted blond.

"Have you been up all night reading books about _dragons_, Draco?" Blaise asked dryly.

"So what if I was?" he snapped angrily, snatching the book from the other and setting it down. "They're... Fascinating creatures and they're my namesake!" he said, rather proud with his explanation in his sleep-addled state. He nodded, agreeing with himself with a smile.

Blaise rolled his eyes.

"What have you learned about them?" Pansy asked conversationally, glancing at _Men Who Love Dragons Too Much._

"Nothing," Draco snarled furiously, kicking aside a book on the floor in disgust. He needed to help Harry and he hadn't come up with anything useful yet.

"I'll see you at dinner," the grey-eyed wizard said in a clipped tone, stomping out of the common room.

"What is wrong with him?" Daphne Greengrass asked, having just walked up.

"I have no idea," Blaise said mildly.

"Maybe he's upset Quidditch is cancelled," Pansy suggested.

"Perhaps," Zabini mused, eyes narrowed.

* * *

Harry poked sadly at his food, his appetite gone.

Hermione was finally in the library, having chosen to skip the meal and keep searching. Draco hadn't shown up for breakfast or lunch.

Harry was considering leaving his dinner uneaten. Frankly, the nerves in his stomach were destroying his appetite, and he was beginning to doubt he'd see Draco at all before the first task.

_I guess I shouldn't expect him to, I mean, it's not like it's an obligation of his to be - around,_ Harry thought miserably. _Stupid of me to assume he'd show up. I'm sure he has other things on his mind._

Just then, the doors of the Great Hall swung open. Draco walked through. Harry frowned. The blond looked surprisingly disheveled.

His hair was messy and a little bed mussed, his clothes distinctly wrinkled. His school robes were missing, instead he was in a button down shirt and black slacks, a Slytherin-colored tie wrapped loosely around his neck.

His grey eyes were pinched, slight bags underneath his eyes as he scanned the Great Hall with a degree of intensity Harry wasn't sure he'd seen before. Usually the Slytherin was more reserved.

His grey eyes alighted on Harry's own green gaze, and Harry swallowed as the blond began to march over.

He didn't look exactly mad.. But Harry wasn't quite sure what else could have him so excited and so frazzled.

He approached the Gryffindor table, and Ginny looked up, glancing at him hostilely. "Just ignore him Harry," she muttered.

Harry ignored her, focus locked on the approaching Slytherin.

"She-Weasel," he greeted coldly. "H-Potter."

Ginny arched an eyebrow momentarily. "What do you want, Malfoy?" she spat.

"Did you wear those clothes yesterday?" Harry demanded curiously, tired eyes scanning up and down scrutinizingly.

Crabbe and Goyle just then appeared at the door of the Great Hall, gasping for breath a little as they dashed up behind the blond. Goyle cracked his knuckles menacingly, glaring at the Gryffindors.

Several heads popped up with interest, clearly expecting a fight.

Draco opened his mouth as if to respond, snapped it closed and turned on his heel, walking off without another word. Crabbe and Goyle exchanged looks of confusion before turning and promptly following their leader to the Slytherin table.

Harry watched Draco closely as he sat down between two fifth-year Slytherins, who Crabbe and Goyle quickly usurped, taking their seats and food. _What is wrong with him?_

"He's such a jerk. Don't let him get to you, Harry," Ginny said harshly cutting into his musings.

"He didn't say anything," Harry said simply, still confused as he pushed himself out of his seat. He wasn't hungry after all. He walked away not noticing the blond Slytherin quickly folding a paper and charming it to fly after him. He opened the door to the great hall, closing it firmly behind him, the paper crashing against the wrong side of the door.

"That's fine. I don't need him or Ron. I don't need any-Oh, hello, Hermione," Harry said, finding himself face-to-face with a haggard looking Hermione.

"What were you just saying?" Hermione asked, an odd look on her face.

"Ah, nothing. Just ranting about Ron again is all," he said, trying to slip past his friend.

"No. No you said _him_ or Ron. Who's him?" Hermione asked, blocking Harry's way.

Harry laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry, you're a girl aren't you." He touched his forehead, laughing some more. "These dragons are really getting to me," he said in a disproportionately unhappy voice after his laughter.

Hermione stared as he walked off.

"Wait - yes I'm a - why do you not need _me_?" she called after him, eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

He waved a hand dismissively over his shoulder.

She ran a hand through her frizzy hair, huffing and stomped off to the Great Hall, pushing open the doors. She unknowingly stepped on a struggling piece of paper, that had been trying to crawl under the door, crushing it with her shoe.

She walked over to the Gryffindor table, covering a yawn as she slid into the seat next to Ginny.

"Wotcher, Hermione," the redhead said casually.

"Good morning," she said, sighing. Looking down at the untouched plate in front of her, she frowned.

"It's dinner actually," Ginny said.

"Ginny, was Harry sitting here?" she asked suddenly, not hearing what the younger witch had just said.

Ginny looked up and nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Hermione frowned in concern at the entirely full plate. She glanced up, and suddenly found herself looking directly at an uncharacteristically haggard-looking Draco Malfoy.

"Does he always sit here?" she asked then, turning to look at Ginny again.

Ginny frowned as she mulled it over before nodding very slowly. "I suppose so, yeah."

Hermione bit her lip in thought, nodding contemplatively as she began to make her own plate.

* * *

Draco woke up with a start. He pulled open his curtains and was greeted by a late morning sun.

"Shit."

The Slytherin slipped out of his bed and made his way to the already empty showers. _I still haven't found anything_.

Draco came out only five minutes later, his clothes not their usual neatness in his hurry. He picked up a dragon book from his bed and threw it across the room. He ran his hands into his still damp hair and let out a growl of frustration. _I didn't find anything. _

Draco lifted his wand in frustration, pointing it at the large pile of useless books on his bed.

"_Accio_ information on evading dragons," Draco snarled.

One book from the pile suddenly rose up, several pages ripping themselves free and rushing into the shocked Slytherin's hand.

"You're kidding me."

* * *

Harry paced the length of the Champions' Tent, wringing his hands nervously and occasionally running a hand through his hair.

Victor Krum stood looking as calm and unreadable as ever. Fleur was twirling her wand casually attempting to hide the tremor in her hand.

Cedric smiled when he saw him, entering the tent at the last moment. "Hey Harry, good luck today," he said warmly.

Flour laughed. "You are wishing heem good luck? Are you not rivals?" she asked, arching one eyebrow.

"We're friends," Harry retorted grumpily, glaring at the French witch.

She rolled her eyes, clearly remembering the badges from earlier that week.

Cedric smiled at him encouragingly. "I'm sure whatever you've got in mind will work out, Harry. None of us are any more sure than you are, you know. It's not like any of us have any experience fighting dragons."

Harry laughed somewhat manically at the Hufflepuff's assumption that he actually had something planned.

_I'm going to die. I can see it in the Daily Prophet. The Chosen One dies while fighting a dragon for sport_. He groaned. Why hadn't Draco been around? He needed to talk to him before the trial. What if something happened and he didn't say goodbye?

"Harry Potter!"

Harry jumped when his name was announced over the loud speakers.

"Come along, Harry," Ludo Bagman said, waving the wizard from the parted curtains.

Harry looked around the empty room. "Right. _Right_."

Harry walked stoically along the filled bleachers. _Why couldn't I be up there_?

"Potter! Potter!"

Harry looked up to find the wild gaze of Draco looking down at him from the bleachers. He was leaning haphazardly over the banister.

"Malfoy?" he asked, his heart skipping a beat. _He came to see me off_.

"Potter," Draco continued as if he hadn't heard him. "Too bad this isn't a Quidditch match. Right?"

Harry frowned. _What_! This wasn't the time for their stupid charade. He started walking again, staring straight ahead.

"Potter! _Potter_!" Draco yelled again more insistantly, shoving students out of the way as he trailed along Harry in the busy bleachers. "Maybe you could just Accio your broom and fly away!" he yelled, hoping Harry would understand.

Harry froze before spinning on his heel. "Go to hell, Malfoy!" he shouted violently.

_Nope. Still doesn't understand_. "But it's probably too far away, isn't it?" he hinted at the broom he had just moved within calling distance. _Come on. Come on, Harry_. "Too bad nobody moved it nearby for you!" he added and then laughed when he noticed he was gathering off looks.

Harry glared up at the Slytherin. He turned away and stalked off.

_Oh no_! "Potter!"

Harry ignored the yells of the blond wizard as he marched toward certain doom.

If Draco thought this was some cute but discreet way of saying good-bye, he was wrong on all accounts, Harry thought irritably.

It was like he didn't even care that Harry might _die_.

"Potter! Yeah, it sure would be great if you could just _fly away_ from the dragon!"

The task began.

Harry stared at the drowsy Hungarian Horntail, who was watching over her nest of eggs protectively. She twitched some of her giant scales and gave some sort of yawn, smoke rushing out of her nostrils.

Harry gulped as he eyed the golden egg that he was supposed to retrieve. He gripped his wand tight, setting his jaw.

"_Potter_! Doesn't that GOLDEN EGG remind you of something else golden? Like a SNITCH?"

Harry gritted his teeth, and the Horntail jerked up its head as he took a hesitant step forward.

It met his gaze levelly, intelligent eyes boring into him.

Harry raised his wand and cast a conjunctivitis curse.

The dragon roared, rearing up on to her back legs.

Harry ran for the nest frantically. He cast another conjunctivitis at the dragon's other eye as she narrowed it at him, sucking in a sharp breath.

The Horntail let out a deafening scream of rage. Scorching hot flames poured out of the dragoness's maw. Harry dropped to the ground and rolled behind a rock, gasping for breath and patting out a flame on his pant leg.

Draco groaned, shoving over a group of Hufflepuff first years, who were gasping dramatically.

"You idiot," he snarled under his breath.

"OI POTTER!"

"MALFOY FOR MERLIN'S SAKE WOULD YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH?" Harry screamed as he ran for cover from the Horntail's stamping feet as she howled in pain, swinging her spiked head back and forth.

"POTTER, you'd need a broom to catch a snitch! You might need one NOW, TOO!" Draco noted the odd look he was garnering from a group of Gryffindors and quickly added "Too bad you don't have one!" He laughed for emphasis again, a bit neurotically.

"I HATE YOU MALFOY, I SWEAR TO MERLIN!" Harry shouted as he darted away from another furious blaze of fire.

The dragon had recovered from her mild conjunctivitis in both eyes and was now smashing every rock nearby with her mace-like tail, searching for the Gryffindor.

"You're never going to get the egg on foot Potter, NEVER!" he yelled, cupping his mouth with his hands. "If only you had a BROOM to save you, like on the QUIDDITCH PITCH," he yelled furiously. He shoved over a second year to lean against the edge of the bleachers, glaring daggers at the impossibly dense Gryffindor.

Harry opened his mouth to scream back before something seemed to occur to him and his mouth dropped open in a small 'o' shape.

"_Accio_ Firebolt!" Harry shouted, jumping to his feet and running for one of the last rocks that he had to use for cover.

The Firebolt was visible within seconds, obviously having been much closer than the Quidditch pitch this entire time. Harry felt the back of his neck warm in embarrassment.

Draco fell back with a relieved groan. "Salazar's bollocks, finally," he groaned. He glanced around him and shrugged his shoulders when he received looks of outrage mixed with confusion. He stood up, smoothed his shirt and walked off briskly, watching Harry fly expertly through the sky out of the corner of his eye. _He'll be fine now. Harry's a pro on a broom_.

* * *

"Good job, Harry."

"Great job, Potter!"

Harry nodded numbly as he walked away from the crowd and towards the castle.

"Harry, that was brilliant!" Hermione yelled, running up to him and throwing her arms around his neck.

"Thanks," Harry said, exhaustion pulling at his legs as he hugged his friend back tightly.

Hermione pulled back and walked with her arm draped around Harry's side. "It's pretty lucky you thought of your broom," she said quietly as they made their way around a group of excited Hufflepuffs, who were surrounding Cedric.

Harry ran a tired hand through his hair. _Lucky Draco thought of it_, he thought acerbically. "I actually thought of it because of-"

"-Draco's tauntings?" she offered quickly. She watched Harry nod slowly, a look of discomfort crossing his face. "Lucky for you the idiot was so unintentionally helpful," she supplied quickly.

Harry let out a sigh, nodding emphatically and hugging his friend tighter as they continued their way to their dorm. "Indeed."

* * *

"That was absolutely evil," Pansy laughed as she joined a relieved looking Draco. He ushered his looks quickly into a more appropriate scowl. He shrugged and continued walking, his eyes pinned on Harry's back.

"Yeah, too bad he took your advice literally," Blaise said, joining them as they made their way.

Draco didn't meet his friend's eyes. "Indeed."

* * *

**:-)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Why So Tense?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter.**

**Authors' Note: New chapter posting! We hope that you are enjoying this story! :-)**

* * *

**~Chapter 5~**

* * *

"Did you bring the egg?" Hermione asked as she sat beside Harry at breakfast, a day after the first test.

Harry shook his head. "No, it's driving me mad looking at it. I left it in my trunk wrapped up in my cloak," he said before taking a drink of pumpkin juice. He didn't want to think about the tournament for a while. He had until after Christmas break to figure out the clue.

"Hey, Harry."

Harry's hand tightened around his fork, and he fought to keep from chucking it at the red-head just then standing in front of him as his head slowly tilted up to meet apologetic brown eyes.

"What do _you_ want?"

"Harry-"

"-No, it's okay, Hermione," Ron said quickly. "I deserve that. I've been a bloody awful friend, and I'm sorry."

Harry glared at the wizard.

"Okay," he said after a prolonged pause, looking back down to his plate and taking a bite of something, not able to differentiate at that moment.

Ron shifted uneasily. "Okay?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yeah." Harry stabbed another bite of food. "Now go away."

The tips of the redhead's ears began to turn pink as he curled his hands clenched by his sides. "I'm trying to apologize," he said stiffly.

"Well you should stop _trying_ and do it then, shouldn't you?" Harry drawled, unintentionally sounding a bit like Draco in his anger.

Ron glared. "I meant... Fine." He took in a calming breath and continued, his words losing their edge, "I'm sorry, okay?" he said lamely.

"Yeah, okay. Now what part of 'go away' is it that you're struggling to comprehend?" Harry snapped, temper rising further as he threw down his fork. "Because I can reword it for you. _Sod off_."

Ron set his jaw. He started to retort angrily when Draco walked by, hitting his shoulder with his own as he passed.

"Oi, watch where you're going, Malfoy," he said angrily.

"Oh." Draco turned around slowly, Crabbe and Goyle following suit. "My apologies, _Weas-ley_. I didn't see you there," he said in a feigned polite voice, his two friends snickering behind him.

Ron glared angrily, his face turning a bright red. "You're such a tosser, Malfoy!"

Harry jumped up suddenly, his hands balled into fists. "No, _you're_ the tosser, Weasley!" he shouted, cutting of Draco's retort and surprising everyone around him, including himself.

Ron's eyes widened impossibly large. His expression shifted from shock, to hurt and then settled on furious. "Fine. _Fine_! I'll leave you alone! Maybe you and _Malfoy_ can be best mates!" He turned and stalked out of the Great Hall, the door slamming behind him and echoing in the quiet hall.

Harry dropped back down into his seat in surprise, not making eye-contact with a laughing Draco, who was slowly walking away with his friends as the room resumed its normal level of noise.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Harry-"

"-I don't want to talk about it, Hermione," he said, seething. He glowered at the eggs on his plate that reminded him of his next task. _How dare he talk to Draco like that. He's been ignoring me or insulting me ever since I got thrown into this blasted tournament. And then he just-_

"-Harry? Harry?"

"Hmm?" The messy-haired wizard looked up into concerned eyes.

"I said, who are you planning to ask to the dance?" Hermione asked again, playing with the napkin in her hands.

"Oh, uh. Nobody," he said, picking up a piece of bacon and glancing over at Draco. _Is Draco planning on asking someone for appearances?_

"Nobody? But you have to take someone. It's tradition. I read it in Hogwarts-"

"-A History. I know," Harry said off-handedly, frowning when Pansy Parkinson sat down beside Draco and placed her hand on his arm.

"Right. So, as I was saying. You have to take someone as a contender in the tournament. There's a dance just for the champions and their dates and... Well, it doesn't matter. But, you need to ask someone," she said in a softly chiding tone.

Harry held back a growl when he saw Pansy run a hand through his boyfriend's hair. _Why is he letting her do that_? The dishes at the Slytherin table began to rattle. Draco looked up in surprise, pushing away the witch's hand as he stared at Harry.

"Harry, is that you?" Hermione asked in a concerned voice as the dish rattling grew louder, and the Slytherin students began to stand up and back away from the angry table.

"_What_?" The dishes stopped. Harry turned to Hermione. "No, I. No, I don't know what you're talking about." He pushed himself up from the table.

"See you in Charms," he said and walked off with two sets of Slytherin eyes watching his departure.

"Potter's upset about something," Blaise said with a grin as Harry stalked towards the doors of the Great Hall.

Draco shrugged his shoulders and took a bite out of a pear. "Isn't he always?" he asked, his mind running overtime. _He looked really angry with me. What happened? Did Granger tell him something? I need to find out what's wrong_. He stood up lazily. "I think I'm going to go now," he said, hoping not to arouse suspicion.

Blaise nodded, waiting for the blond to leave the Great Hall before standing up as well.

"Where are you going, Blaise?" Pansy asked, a pouty look on her face after having Draco completely ignore her advances.

"I'm going to catch up with Draco," he said before making his way towards the exit quickly. He pulled the door open and glanced around, frowning as he walked into the hallway. The blond was already out of sight.

_He must have ran for it_.

* * *

"Pining for me?"

Harry sat on the floor leaned against the wall beside the Charms classroom. He looked up to see a grinning and slightly winded Draco. Harry glanced around the abandoned hallway quickly before answering.

"What are you doing here?" he asked sullenly, looking back down at his hands.

"Something wrong, Harry?" Draco asked, trying not to sound rushed. He sat down beside the wizard despite knowing better.

The messy-haired wizard shook his head in an unconvincing manner, ignoring the heat emanating from where Draco's leg leaned against his. "You should go before someone sees you. Your class is on the other side of the castle."

Draco reached out and set his hand on top of Harry's knee. "Let's skip."

Harry looked up, his green eyes widening in surprise at the studious wizard's suggestion. "Skip?"

Draco nodded and pushed himself up. He offered his hand to Harry. "Yeah, let's go. Nobody will notice. We have different classes."

Harry glanced around once more before taking the proffered hand, excitement bubbling in his chest.

"All right. What do you have in mind then?"

* * *

"Why haven't we used this before?" Draco hissed as they walked quietly through the corridors of the dungeons of the castle under Harry's invisibility cloak.

"I guess I never thought of it."

"And here I just assumed you hadn't brought it to school. All this time we-"

"Shhh." Harry stopped suddenly, causing Draco to run into his back, making them stumble forward a few steps.

"Did you hear something?" Blaise stood with Pansy in the hallway outside of the Slytherin common room. Harry and Draco stood concealed just yards away, having just turned the corner.

"No. I didn't hear anything," she said, glancing around the seemingly empty hallway. "So, he's not up there then?" she asked, disappointment clear in her words.

"No. I don't know where he is." Blaise continued to search the area around them. "But, there's one good thing about this," he said, his eyes calculating as his voice grew more quiet.

"What's that?" she asked, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"Now, if he tells us he was in the dorm we'll know he's lying to us," Blaise said quietly.

Draco glared harshly at his friend, curses flying through his mind. Harry turned slightly and placed a hand on his arm in an appeasing manner. He pointed at the hallway they had just come from. Draco nodded and they walked away quietly until they were on the stairway and up a few levels with no one in sight.

Draco threw the cloak off himself. "What kind of person assumes their friend is lying to them!"

"Well, you are lying to him," Harry said matter-of-factly, putting the cloak in his pocket.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but I've not given him any reason to think that. Not any substantial reason-"

"-Harry!"

Draco's eyes darkened immediately as his sharp gaze shot in the direction that the words had come from.

"I'll hex him. I swear," Draco growled viciously.

Harry's eyes widened as the Hufflepuff ran up the stairs, taking two at a time with a huge smile on his face that started to drop as he noticed who was with the Gryffindor.

"What do _you_ want, Diggory?"

Cedric opened then closed his mouth, frowning uncertainly at the hostile blond. "Actually, I was just wondering, if I could talk to Harry for a second-"

"-No. No, he's very busy," Draco said in a very decided manner.

Harry blinked, before nodding in agreement. "Yeah. We - Malfoy and I, we're going to go... Duel," he said.

"_Duel_?" Cedric asked incredulously.

Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Harry's excuse but nodded sharply, opening his mouth to end the conversation before it got any more absurd-

"-Yeah, he owes me one," Harry said suddenly. Draco snapped his lips closed. "Back in, uh, first year, he challenged me - but, well, then he never showed up, so, I'm escorting him, I mean, making sure he goes to this one," Harry rambled, nodding at the end of his sentence in agreement with himself. He gave a forced laugh.

Draco resisted the urge to groan and only gave a thin-lipped smile.

Cedric looked between the two of them suspiciously. "Well, uh, it'll only take a moment," he said slowly.

Draco's eyes narrowed.

"Well, err, you can just say it then," Harry said unsurely. "I mean, best make it fast though, don't want to wait another three years for this duel."

Cedric cast the dangerous-looking Slytherin an unsure look but then nodded shortly. "Right, of course."

He took in and released a deep breath, cleared his throat and then took a small step toward Harry, his smile from earlier returning, dimpling his cheeks. "Harry, do you have a date to the Yule Ball, yet?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I don't," he said slowly, a confused look starting to cross his features. "Do you?"

Cedric beamed, and reached up a hand, scratching the back of his neck in a nervous fashion. He cleared his throat again.

Draco curled both hands into fists, grey eyes flashing dangerously. He silently dared the unaware Hufflepuff to continue, conjuring up every curse he knew to the forefront of his mind.

"No, I don't. Not yet," Cedric admitted finally, his smile turning somewhat hesitant. "I was actually, wondering, if-"

Draco started a slow, sarcastic clap, and rolled his eyes when he garnered the Hufflepuff's attention.

"Adorable, really, good try," the blond said in a vicious tone. "You really think he'd accept _you_?" the Malfoy heir said in a low voice.

Harry glanced between the two in bewilderment, eyes widening.

Cedric blinked, turning to face the Slytherin, mouth slightly agape. "I - excuse me?"

Draco sneered. "Really, you gave it your best effort. It was adorable. But even Potter can do better than _you_. So let's just skip the embarrassing bit where he rejects you, and move on, hm?"

Cedric's eyes widened in shock and he snapped his mouth closed. He flexed his jaw slightly, squaring his shoulders.

"I'm confused," Harry admitted angrily, looking to Cedric.

Draco smirked tauntingly at the Hufflepuff, who didn't respond.

"Were you going to ask me to the Yule Ball?" Harry asked suddenly, green eyes wide.

"I, well. I-"

"-Draco!" Harry shouted unthinkingly, once he realized it was true.

"What? Did you _want_ to go with him?" Draco took a step towards Harry.

"W-What?" Harry looked between the two wizards, anger flooding him once more when he noticed the downcast look Cedric was trying but failing to hide.

"You should go," Harry said coolly, his gaze squarely on Draco.

Draco looked surprised for only a beat before a snarl overtook his face. "No. We have a duel. _Remember_?"

"It'll keep," Harry said stiffly, turning away from him and towards Cedric.

"No, it won't," Draco said in a disturbingly hushed tone.

Harry ignored him.

Draco proceeded to grab Harry's arm and then began to haul him up the stairs without a second thought.

Harry felt a flash of rage as he ripped his arm from the other's grasp. He spun around, green eyes flashing dangerously.

Draco stepped toward him, grey eyes equally alight with anger. He stepped again toward the other, leaning close to his ear.

"Let's go, I don't want to miss our _duel_," Draco whispered sharply into his ear.

Harry gritted his teeth. "I told you it's going to have to wait," Harry whispered back. Draco held on to the other's shoulder as he moved to pull away, and the two glared into each other's eyes in frustration.

Cedric's eyes widened from where he stood. He cleared his throat, but neither of the glaring wizards looked down.

With a moment's hesitation, the Hufflepuff turned and started down the stairs.

* * *

"Cedric?" Hermione's startled voice greeted the downcast wizard as he neared the second-floor landing.

He glanced up in surprise, before he offered the witch a weak smile. "Oh, hello," he said politely.

"I was just looking for Harry - someone had said you had gone to find him?" the witch asked curiously.

Cedric's smile dissipated. "Oh, yeah. He's err - busy right now, I think. Dueling Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione blinked.

"_What_?"

Cedric shrugged slightly, looking apologetic. "I'm not too sure. Said he'd been waiting three years for it or something. They were just up there," he said, glancing over his shoulder.

Hermione nodded and began walking up the stairs quietly, and as she turned the corner she saw the two mentioned wizards on the stairway, nearing the fourth floor.

She opened her mouth to call out, the unformed words dying on her lips when Draco suddenly turned and pulled Harry towards him before pressing his lips against the other wizard's aggressively and pushing him back against the railing. Harry's hands shot up and grasped the back of Draco's head, trying to pull him closer, their eyes shut as their mouths parted, lips moving fervently against the other's.

Hermione's hands flew up to her mouth, keeping in an exclamation of shock. She watched silently until Harry pushed him away.

"We're going to get found out," her friend said in a breathless voice before pulling out his cloak and swinging it out, covering himself and a smirking Draco Malfoy under it.

Hermione quickly backed down and around the corner, her face a pallor white.

* * *

_-Summer's Past-_

"Don't touch that," Draco snapped.

"But I've never seen-"

"No. They're not _toys_, they're _collectibles_, Potter." The blond snatched up the Chocolate Frog Card from the other wizard's hand.

"I was just looking at it," Harry protested with a bored sigh, flopping on to the dark hardwood floor of the blond's room and into a sitting position.

"You look with your eyes, not with your fingers," Draco corrected, placing the card back on the display shelf with care.

"I'm just so _bored_," Harry insisted. "I've been stuck inside for three days." He fell back dramatically on a soft grey rug, huffing.

"What are you, five? Entertain yourself."

Harry groaned.

"Wow, I can really see why everyone's terrified of you," Draco said dryly as he looked down at the sprawled out wizard.

"Everyone's terrified of me?" Harry's head popped up, eyes round with genuine surprise.

Draco rolled his eyes.

The blond walked over to a desk, pulling out the drawer and retrieving a few sheets of parchment, a quill and ink.

"Here," he said, handing the other wizard the materials. "Write your girlfriend, or something," he said in a dismissive tone.

Harry sat fully upright, looking down at the parchment in his hand blankly. "Girlfriend?"

"Yes. That Ravenclaw. Chang, is it?"

Harry blinked. "She's not my girlfriend," he said.

"Well, then your boyfriend," the blond drawled sarcastically.

"I don't have a boyfriend either," he said, his lips quirking to the side as he thought. The Gryffindor paused for a moment, and then his eyes lit up, and he reached for the quill.

Draco snatched the parchment away, scowling. "No, you can't write Dumbledore."

Harry's eyes flashed indignantly, and he opened his mouth to protest.

"Potter, like it or not, we're stuck with each other for the summer," Draco snapped. "It's not safe for you, or me, to try to get out of it. Since we're going to have to put up with each other, we ought to establish some ground rules."

Harry nodded agreeably. "Rule One, you're not allowed to be a git," he suggested.

"Only I make the rules," Draco corrected patiently. "It's my house."

* * *

**:-)**


End file.
